| Maternity leave, parental leave and childcare are tools that the European Union is promoting to help families to balance their home and employment responsibilities. This case study asked the questions: (1) What economic, political and state-centered factors were important in the development of EU maternity leave, parental leave and childcare policies? and (2) What is the relationship between EU maternity leave and parental leave legislation and EU member states' legislation? Using primary and secondary sources from EU institutions, stakeholders, published scholarship and the media as evidence, I outlined the EU social policy making process in regard to leave and childcare. Results give credence to political and state-centered perspectives of policy development and highlight the interaction of economic, political, institutional and historical factors in explaining policy outcomes. Two findings were striking. (1) Nordic and French women's mobilization and participation in EU politics as voters and elite women's participation in EU institutions and lobbies were critical factors in policy development. (2) The European Commission played a vital catalyzing role in shaping political, economic and historical factors to promote its policy agenda. Evidence shows that the EU is prompting some degree of convergence in member nations' maternity leave and parental leave rights. However, convergence was occurring before, and indeed was a prerequisite for, EU binding legislation. The effects of the different histories and national cultures of member states remain evident in the specific details of the policies--details which are not inconsequential for the employment opportunities of mothers and prospective mothers. However, the effects of EU law in accelerating the speed of policy convergence are clear. The result has been to increase the right to leave and remuneration for leave for millions of European women. |
